Counting of votes for the byelection to the Jokihat Assembly seat in Bihar was underway on Thursday with the ruling JD-U candidate Murshid Alam taking an early lead with over 33,500 ballots, according to Election Commission officials.
Opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) candidate Shahnawaz Alam is trailing behind Murshid Alam.
The Jokikhat seat fell vacant following the resignation of JD-U MLA Sarfaraz Alam, who joined the RJD.
A third Independent candidate Mohammad Shabbir is also in the fray.
Voting for the seat took place on Monday.
The JD-U was backed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), while the RJD had the support of the Congress and Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) of former Chief Minister of Jitan Ram Manjhi.
Jokihat is a Muslim-dominated Assembly constituency, considered stronghold of former Union Minister and Shahnawaz Alam's father Mohammad Taslimuddin, who died last year leading to bypolls in Araria Lok Sabha seat.
--IANS
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